1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates to a fluid pressure apparatus and, more particularly, to a vacuum apparatus using air to vacuum hold a workpiece, wherein, when individual fluid pressure apparatuses connected to one another in plural form are used, controlling means such as controllers are attached to the corresponding fluid pressure apparatuses. A sequencer provides timing control and the like on the fluid pressure apparatuses, so as to detect malfunctions or the like, thereby performing advanced control. The present invention also relates to a fluid pressure apparatus wherein, when the fluid pressure apparatus is used either as a fluid pressure apparatus made up of blocks or different types of fluid pressure devices, fluid passages defined in either the blocks or the respective fluid pressure devices are connected by joint surfaces to electrical wires or the like. The joint surfaces are used for either the blocks or the respective fluid pressure devices, and the connecting members which are employed in either the blocks or the respective fluid pressure devices are standardized to thereby simplify the connection as a whole, and to simplify the complex assembly comprised of fluid pressure devices of different types, which are connected to one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fluid pressure apparatus for supplying and cutting off a fluid pressure to a working device has heretofore been used under various circumstances. For example, a vacuum unit for supplying a vacuum pressure comprises an ejector, a valve for supplying and cutting off the vacuum pressure, etc., all of which are provided inside the vacuum unit. The vacuum unit is coupled to a suction pad, or the like, used as a working device and operated in response to a signal supplied from a sequencer to supply the vacuum pressure to the suction pad, thereby attracting and feeding a workpiece.
In the vacuum unit referred to above, it is desirable to prevent the workpiece from falling from the suction pad due to a failure in operation of the ejector by confirming all the operated states. That is, there is now a demand for a system in which operating conditions of an ejector and valve can be rapidly confirmed to detect a failure in operation, which is caused by clogging or the like, and for automatically carrying out a process for coping with such a trouble.
However, when such a process is carried out by a sequencer, a problem arises in that, when vacuum units are connected to one another by manifolds, the burden imposed on the sequencer is too great to adequately carry out discrete control, such as ON/OFF timing control or the like for each vacuum unit.
The present invention is intended to solve the above problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure apparatus capable of reducing the burden imposed on a sequencer, and for carrying out discrete control.